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The hearing

We’ll send a letter inviting you to the hearing unless you say you do not want to attend. We hold appeal hearings in the city centre or in a place near the school, but never at the school.

You should attend the hearing if you can so the panel can ask you questions. You can also put your questions to the school or to the admissions department. If you decide not to attend, the panel will consider your appeal and make a decision without you. If you cannot come at the time we give you, get in touch to rearrange as soon as you can. There will be details on how to do this in the letter.

You can bring a representative with you and if you need an interpreter you can ask for one when you appeal.

Hearings usually last for around 20 minutes and we try to keep them as informal as possible. We’ll send you the full details along with your hearing time.

Who is at the hearing

you and your representative – if you want one;

your interpreter - if you need one;

the appeals panel;

a clerk to make a record of what happens;

a ‘presenting officer’ from the ‘admissions authority’ that made the original decision; and possibly

a representative of the school.

The decision is based on:

your appeals form;

any evidence you submit;

an ‘appeals statement’ for the admissions authority that made the original decision; and